The zodiac is a band of twelve 30-degree sections along the ecliptic, the Sun’s apparent yearly path across the sky. Each section is named after a constellation and forms one of the twelve tropical zodiac signs used in Western astrology.
The Twelve Zodiac Signs
Bold and direct, associated with initiative and starting new things.
Grounded and steady, associated with patience and comfort.
Curious and communicative, associated with adaptability and ideas.
Nurturing and intuitive, associated with home and emotional depth.
Warm and expressive, associated with confidence and creativity.
Practical and detail-oriented, associated with service and precision.
Diplomatic and balanced, associated with harmony and relationships.
Intense and private, associated with transformation and depth.
Adventurous and philosophical, associated with exploration and optimism.
Disciplined and ambitious, associated with structure and long-term goals.
Independent and inventive, associated with originality and community.
Empathetic and imaginative, associated with intuition and dreams.
Zodiac Signs and the Ecliptic
The tropical zodiac divides the ecliptic into twelve equal 30-degree bands, starting from the point of the March equinox. A planet’s zodiac sign is simply which of these twelve bands its ecliptic longitude falls into at a given moment.
Elements
Each sign belongs to one of four elements, Fire, Earth, Air, or Water, traditionally used to describe a sign’s general temperament and energy.
Modalities
Signs are also grouped into three modalities, Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable, describing how a sign tends to initiate, sustain, or adapt to change.
Your Sun Sign Is Only One Part of a Birth Chart
A full birth chart includes many placements beyond the Sun sign, most notably the Moon and Rising signs. Together these three are often called the Big Three. You can calculate your own using our Sun Sign Calculator, Moon Sign Calculator, or Rising Sign Calculator.